Nut and Cocoa Cake (Gluten-Free)

To prepare this delicious walnut cake, we start by gathering the necessary ingredients and organizing ourselves efficiently in the kitchen. In a suitably sized pot, we mix the water with the sugar and ground walnuts. It is important to use freshly ground nuts to achieve an intense and aromatic flavor. We place the pot on low heat and stir constantly to ensure that the sugar melts evenly and a light syrup forms. Be careful not to let the syrup become too thick; we need to maintain a light consistency.

Once the syrup is ready, we remove the pot from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly at room temperature. In the meantime, we take care of the eggs. We separate the egg whites from the yolks, ensuring that no yolk gets into the egg whites, as this will prevent us from achieving a firm foam. Using a mixer, we beat the egg whites until we obtain a firm and shiny foam. It is time to add the yolks, one at a time, continuously mixing with the mixer to incorporate them well into the mixture.

After incorporating all the yolks, we bring in the beaten egg whites, which we add with a spoon, gently folding from top to bottom to keep the air in the foam. This will give the cake a fluffy and light texture.

Now we prepare the cake pan. We grease it with a little butter, being careful not to overdo it, as excess butter can make the cake too greasy. The moisture of the baking paper is essential to prevent the cake from sticking to the pan. We wet it under running water, then squeeze it well and lay it on a clean, dry towel. We grease one side of the paper with a little butter, which will be in contact with the mixture.

We preheat the oven to 160°C. We place the baking paper with the ungreased side in the pan and carefully pour the prepared mixture, making sure to leave one centimeter free to the edge of the pan, as the cake will rise during baking. We put the pan in the oven and let the cake bake for about 45 minutes. After the time has expired, we turn off the oven, but do not remove the cake immediately; we let it cool slightly for 10 minutes inside to prevent cracking. Thus, our cake will be perfect, fluffy, and delicious, ready to be enjoyed!